This invention relates to an apparatus for the dosed filling of highly viscous material, particularly stringy material, such as pasty, permanent elastic sealing compounds, into tubular bags.
Hitherto highly viscous materials, such as in particular pasty, stringy sealing compounds, have generally been filled into cartridges. Although no technical problems are encountered in the dosed filling of cartridges, the disadvantage arises that these disposable cartridges are relatively expensive. An essential aspect in connection with filling, particularly under the influence of sealing compounds which harden or vulcanize under the influence of atmospheric humidity is that the pack must not contain any humidity and there must also be no contact with atmospheric humidity. Particularly permanent elastic sealing compounds already contain the hardener and become solid under the influence of atmospheric humidity.
Hitherto the filling of such highly viscous materials into tubular plastic bags has either taken place manually, which is very costly, or machines from the meat processing industry are used, in which the finished, filled bag is sealed by means of an aluminium wire clip. However, it is not possible to obtain a completely tight seal. Up to now the problem of packing materials which become solid under the influence of moisture in tubular bags was that it was necessary to use plastic foils with an aluminium coating as a vapour lock, in order to achieve adequate storage characteristics for the packed sealing compound. However, it has not as yet been possible to obtain a completely satisfactory filling and bubble-free sealing of tubular bags by means of an air-tight transverse weld without visual inspection.